Article dispenser operable without the use of hands

ABSTRACT

An article dispenser is disclosed, particularly suited for dispensing sterile scrubber sponges, comprising a vertically elongated container housing a plurality of superimposed articles hinged at its upper end to a wall and extending downwardly and outwardly away from the wall so that its lower end is spaced from the wall, being yieldingly biased into that ready position, and an article projector interposed between the wall and an article in the container arranged opposite a doorway in the front of the container closed by spring loaded doors, whereby pushing the container toward the wall as by the elbow of the user causes an article to be partially projected through the doorway where it is yieldingly held by the doors in an exposed condition accessible to be manually grasped and completely removed from the container whereupon the doors automatically close, release of the pushing force returning the container to its ready position.

United States Patent I [72] Inventors James R. Gilchrist Clarence; PeterF. Gannon, Lakeview, both of, N.Y. [2]] Appl. No. 835,371 [22] FiledJune 23, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [73] Assignee Truly-MagicProducts, Inc.

Buffalo, N.Y.

[54] ARTICLE DISPENSER OPERABLE WITHOUT THE USE OF HANDS 3 Claims, 15Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 221/188, 221/250, 221/305, 221/310 [51] Int. Cl A24f 15/04[50] Field of Search 221/186, 187,188,189, 303-307, 310, 250; 229/17 B,20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,040 2/1937 Lloyd221/188 2,706,066 4/1955 Wells 221/305 X 2,806,634 9/1957 Baumgartner221/306 X Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney-Sommer, Weber &Gastel ABSTRACT: An article dispenser is disclosed, particularly suitedfor dispensing sterile scrubber sponges, comprising a verticallyelongated container housing a plurality of superimposed articles hingedat its upper end to a wall and extending downwardly and outwardly awayfrom the wall so that its lower end is spaced from the wall, beingyieldingly biased into that ready position, and an article projectorinterposed between the wall and an article in the container arrangedopposite a doorway in the front of the container closed by spring loadeddoors, whereby pushing the container toward the wall as by the elbow ofthe user causes an article to be partially pro- 7 jected through thedoorway where it is yieldingly held by the doors in an exposed conditionaccessible to be manually grasped and completely removed from thecontainer whereupon the doors automatically close, release of thepushing force returning the container to its ready position.

PATENTED AUG] 71971 SHEET 2 BF 3 PATENTEU AUG! 1 I971 SHEET 3 OF 3INVENTORS James R. Gilchrist Peter F. Gannon y- M/JiJ-r- ATTORNEYSARTICLE DISPENSER OPERABLE WITHOUT THE USE OF HANDS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION they were formed with an article exit which was left openbetween article withdrawals so that the opportunity to contaminateundispensed articles still within the container from dirt and airentering the exit was increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive dispenser, overcoming theaforementioned disadvantages of prior dispensers, comprises a verticallyelongated container having a discharge opening adjacent its lower endand adapted to contain a plurality of superimposed articles such asscrubber sponges to be dispensed singly through such opening, doorsnormally closing such opening, and a projector arranged to push anarticle against such doors and through such opening upon relativemovement between the container and projector. Thus a normally closeddispenser provides continued protection against environmentalcontamination.

Another advantage of the inventive dispenser is that it is always readyfor use and can be operated to project an article away from thecontainer without requiring handling as by pushing against it with anelbow, enabling the user to completely remove the article by onlytouching the article and thereby either avoid contaminating thecontainer or being contaminated thereby.

Another advantage of the inventive dispenser is that it is easy to mounton a suitable support such as a wall to place it is operative condition.

A further advantage of the inventive dispenser is that is sturdy, yeteconomical and is disposable after all of the articles therein have beendispensed. A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereofillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of aflattened blank from which is assembled the inner box of a containerforming part of a dispenser embodying a preferred form of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a flattened blank from which isassembled the outer box of such container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inventive dispenser and.

illustrating the same mounted for operation, this view being from apoint above, in front and to one side of the dispenser.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view thereoftaken online 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to the lower portion of FIG. 4 and showing thecontainer pushed toward its support so as to effect partial projectionof an article from the container.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper mountingfor the dispenser taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower mountingfor the dispenser taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a generally horizontal transverse sectional view of thedispenser taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof taken on line9-9 of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 10 through 15 severally are perspective views of the lower portionof the container, viewed from a point below and in front of the same,and illustrates the sequence of assembling the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The dispenser is shown in FIG. 3as comprising a vertically elongated container 20 including an inner box21 and an outer box 22. The inner box 21 extends for the full height ofthe container, whereas the outer box 22 surrounds the lower portion ofthe inner box for reenforcement of the same and for other purposes aswill be apparent from the ensuing description.

The inner box 21 is formed from a one-piece blank 21B of suitable sheetmaterial shown in FIG. 1. The outer box 22 is also formed from aone-piece blank 22B of suitable sheet material shown in FIG. 2.Preferably the sheet material for both blanks is paperboard. Anexplanation of the construction and shape of blanks 21B and 228 willinitiate a description of boxes 21 and 22, following which the manner ofjoining the boxes together will be described.

Referring to FIG. 1, blank 21B is shown as including a front panel 23, afirst side panel 24, a second side panel 25 and a rear panel 26. Avertical fold line 28 joins front panel 23 and side panel 24. A verticalfold line 29 joins front panel 23 and the other Side panel 25. Avertical fold line 30 joins side panel 25 and rear panel 26. Connectedto this rear panel along a fold line 31 is an attaching flange 32. Withthe various panels 23 26 folded along lines 28-31 so that adjacentpanels are at right angles to each other, a rectangular tubular membercan be provided. Flange 32 which is folded along line 31 to beat a rightangle to rear panel 26 is adhesively secured to the inside of side panel24 so that fold line 31 is adjacent the free edge 33 of this side panel,as shown in FIG. 8.

Side panel 24 is shown as having at its upper end a flap 34 connectedalong a horizontal fold line 35. The other side panel 25 has a similarflap 36 connected to it by a horizontal fold line 36. These flaps canoverlap when the box 21 is set up. The upper end of front panel 23 has arectangular cover panel 39 as an extension connected along a horizontalfold line 40. The free end of this cover panel has a flange 41 connectedto it along horizontal fold line 42. In the assembled condition of box21 cover panel 39 overlies overlapped flaps 34 and 36, and flange 41 isarranged vertically and inserted adjacent rear panel 26.

Means are provided for hinging the upper end of box 21 to a suitablesupport such as a wall W (FIGS. 4 and 5). For this purpose, the upperend of rear panel 26 is shown as having a compound hinge tab 43including a rear rectangular section 44, a front rectangular section 45and a flange 46. Rear section 44 is connected to the rear panel along ahorizontal fold line 48. Front section 45 is connected to the rearsection along a horizontal fold line 49. Flange 46 is connected to thefront section by a horizontal fold line 50. Flange 44 has an invertedT-shaped slot 51 and flange 45 has a similar but upright T- shaped slot52, both slots being in vertical alignment and equidistant fromintermediate fold line 49.

It will be seen that by folding the two sections 44 and 45 along line 49and inserting flange 46 between flange 41 of cover panel 39 and rearpanel 26, a double-ply hinge tab extending upwardly generally as anextension of the rear panel is provided, as shown in FIG. 4. TheT-shaped slots 51 and 52 of the overlapping sections 44 and 45 registerand jointly provide an inverted T-shaped hole 53, shown in FIGS. 3 and4, adapted to receive a support bracket 54. This bracket is shown inFIGS. 3, 4 and 6 as including a base plate 55 adhesively attachable towall W, a vertical rib 56 outstanding from this base plate and avertical retaining plate 58 joined centrally to the outer edge of thisrib. Thus in cross section the rib and retaining plate are T-shaped. Thewings or portions of the retaining plate 58 laterally of rib 56 extendover front hinge tab section 45 laterally of the vertical leg of hole53. The walls of hinge tab sections 44 and 45 at the upper end of thisleg of hole 53 engage the upper edge 59 of bracket rib 56, as shown inFIG. 4

and 6. Thus, the horizontal transverse hinge axis for inner box 21 isalong fold line 48.

Considering now the construction of the lower end of blank 213, frontpanel 23 is shown as having a transverse horizontal edge 60 which is ata level above a horizontal fold line 61 on side panel 24 and a similarfold line 62 on the other side panel 25. The cutout portion 63 of thefront panel so provided has a slightly upwardly and outwardly inclinededge 64 adjacent side panel 24. A similar edge 65 is on the oppositeside of this cutout portion adjacent side panel 25. A locking tab 66 isconnected to side panel 24 along fold line 61. A similar locking tab 68is connected to the other side panel 25 along fold line 62. Preferablythe edges of locking tabs 66 and 68 adjacent the lower ends of edges 64and 65 are set back slightly as indicated at 69 and 70, respectively.The opposite ends of these locking tabs 66 and 68 are shown as inclinedas indicated at 71 and 72, respectively.

The lower end of rear panel 26 is shown as being recessed as indicatedat 73. This recess is defined by a horizontal edge 74 above the level offold line 62, an inclined side edge 75 extending upwardly and leftwardlyfrom the juncture of fold lines 62 and 30, and a similar inclined sideedge 76 extending upwardly and rightwardly from the lower end offoldline 31.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the blank 223 there shown comprises a front panel78, a side panel 79, another side panel 80, and a rear panel 81. Theupper edges of these panels are coterminous and horizontal as indicatedat 82. Side panel 79 is connected to front panel along a vertical foldline 83. Side panel 80 is connected to the other edge of this frontpanel along a vertical fold line 84. Rear panel 81 is connected to sidepanel 80 along a vertical fold line 85. Connected to the other edge ofthis rear panel along a vertical fold line 86 is an attaching flange 88.With the various panels 78-81 folded along lines 83-86 so that adjacentpanels are at right angles to each other, a rectangular tubular membercan be provided. Flange 88 which is folded along line 86 to beat a rightangle to rear panel 81 is adhesively secured to the inside to the insideof side panel 79 so that fold line 86 is adjacent the free edge 89 ofthis side panel, as shown in FIG. 8.

Each of panels 7881 is slightly wider than the corresponding panels23-26 so that the box 22 formed from panels 78- 81 can closely receivebox 21 formed from panels 2326, as shown in FIG. 8. The vertical extentof panels 78-81 is only a fraction of that of panels 2326, as shown inFIG. 3 and as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The lower end of rear panel 81 has a compound tab extension 87 includingan upper portion 90 and a lower portion 91. Upper portion 90 isrectangular having the same width as rear panel 81 and joined theretoalong a horizontal fold line 92. Lower portion 91 is connected to upperportion along horizontal fold line 93 and has slightly downwardlyconvergently tapered side edges 94 and a pointed free end part 95. Thepurpose of this compound tab 87 will appear infra.

Rear panel 81 adjacent its lower end is shown as having a horizontallyelongated slot 96 of a length less than the width of this panel betweenfold lines 85 and 86. Below this slot is a second horizontally elongatedslot 98 but of about twice the width of slot 96 and arranged with aboutequal portions above and below fold line 92.

Means are provided for closing the lower end of outer box 22, the sameincluding a first cover flap 99 and a second cover flap 100. Flap 99forms an extension of the lower end of side panel 79 and is connectedthereto along a horizontal fold line 101. The edge 102 of this coverflap 99 adjacent fold line 83 is shown as being slightly offsetlaterally thereofin a direction inwardly of side panel 79. The oppositeedge 103 of flap 99 is shown as extending downwardly from the lower endof edge 89 at an angle of about 45 and directed inwardly of this flapfor a portion of the length thereof. At the termination of this anglededge 103, flap 99 is formed with a tongue part 104 which extendslaterally toward the free edge 89 of side panel 79. This flap 99 is alsoshown as formed with a C-shaped slit 105 adjacent the juncture of foldline 101 and edge 102.

Cover flap 100 is an extension of side panel and is connected theretoalong a horizontal fold line 106. The edge 108 of this flap adjacentfold line 84 is slightly offset laterally thereof in a directioninwardly of side panel 80. Edge 108 is interrupted adjacent its lowerend to provide a locking tab 109 adapted to be inserted in slit 105 inthe other cover flap 99. The opposite edge of this flap 100, or the oneadjacent fold line 85, is shown having a portion indicated at 110extending downwardly from the lower end of fold line at an angle ofabout 45 and directed inwardly of this flap for a portion of the lengththereof. The extent of this angled edge 110 is about the same as thatfor the angled edge 103 on the other cover flap 99. At the lowertermination of angled edge 110, the flap edge indicated at 111 continuesin a direction generally parallel to opposite edge 108.

Upwardly of fold lines 101 and 106, front panel 78 is cut horizontallybetween fold lines 83 and 84 to leave a horizontal edge 112.Intermediate these fold lines and below edge 112 is a vertical slit 113thereby to provide a pair of doors 114 and 115. Door 114 is hinged alongits outer vertical edge or a portion of fold line 83. The other door 115is hinged along its outer vertical edge or along a portion offold line84. Door 114 is defined along its lower horizontal edge by a fold line116 which is arranged slightly below fold lines 101 and 106. Connectedto this door 114 as an extension thereof along a horizontal fold line116 is an attaching tab 118 having a hole 119 extending therethrough.The side edges of this attaching tab are inclined as shown. A similarattaching tab 120 having a hole 121 therethrough is integrally connectedto the other door 115 along horizontal fold line 122 which is alsoslightly below fold lines 101 and 106. The height of doors 114 and 115between aligned fold lines 116 and 122 and edge 112 is slightly greaterthan the vertical distance of the lower horizontal edge 60 of frontpanel 23 of blank 218 above aligned fold lines 61 and 62 thereof.

When the dispenser is assembled, the ends of an elastic cord 123 areseverally connected to attaching tabs 118 and 120 for doors 114 and 115.For this purpose, the ends of this cord extend severally through holes119 and 121 and each end has a metal anchor bar 124 crimped to the cord.Bar 124 extends generally transversely of the cord and is adapted tobear against the outer surface of the corresponding attaching tab 118 or120 and prevents withdrawal of the cord. The function of the elasticcord will be explained more fully infra.

Considered now will be FIGS. 10 through 15 which illustrate a sequencefor closing the lower ends of the telescoped boxes 21 and 22, the lowerend portion ofinner box 21 having been previously inserted into outerbox 22 so that fold lines 61 and 62 on the side panels 24 and 25 of thisinner box are substantially at the level of fold lines 101 and 106 onthis outer box, as shown in FIG. 10.

Compound tab 87 is now swung forwardly along fold line 92 so that theupper portion of this tab is horizontal and its lower surface issubstantially at the level of fold lines 61 and 62 for locking tabs 66and 68, as shown in FIG. 11.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, locking tabs 66 and 68 are folded inwardlytoward each other about their respective fold lines 61 and 62 into ahorizontal position so as to lie against the bottom surface of the upperportion 90 of now horizontally disposed compound tab 87.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the end portion 91 of compound tab 87 isfolded back along fold line 93 to a horizontal position below inturnedhorizontal locking tabs 66 and 68.

Thereafter, as can be determined from FIG. 14, cover flap 99 is foldedalong line 101 into a horizontal position underlying the lower portion91 of compound tab 87. Then the other cover flap is folded along line106 into a horizontal position overlapping cover flap 99. The lockingtab 109 is inserted into slit so as to join the locking flaps together.It will be noted that tongue 104 on now upper cover flap 99 is exposedbehind the edge portion 111 of the other and now lower cover flap 100and that the side edges of this tongue cooperate with the inclined edges103 and of the cover flaps to provide two crotches indicated at 125 and126 in FIG. 14.

In FIGS. through 14, doors 114 and 115 are shown open or projectingsubstantially perpendicularly outwardly from front wall 78. It will benoted that the lower edge 60 of front panel 23 of inner box 21 isslightly below the lower edge 112 of front panel 78 of outer box 22 soas to expose a marginal portion of the panel 23 indicated at 128. Thedoors 114 and 115 when closed abut this marginal portion 128 and arethereby prevented from entering into the interior of the container.

The intermediate section of elastic cord 123 is now placed over theexposed portion of tongue 104 so that the cord is caught in the crotches125 and 126, as shown in FIG. 15. This disposition of the cord 123stretches the same and causes the attaching flanges 118 and 120 on thedoors 114 and 115, respectively, to bend about their fold lines 116 and122, respectively, to a substantially horizontal position, as depictedin FIG. 14. As there shown, the doors 114 and 115 are closed and springloaded against the stop surface provided by marginal portion 128. Whenclosed, these doors cover an exit or discharge opening indicated at 129provided by cutout portion 63 in the front panel 23 of inner box 21.

The container 20 is shown in vertical section in FIGS. 4 and 5. Arrangedwithin this container are a plurality of superimposed articles. Assumingthe dispenser is adapted for dispensing surgical scrubber sponges, eacharticle is such a sponge and typically represented by the letter S.Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be noted that the lowermost sponge Sis opposite exit or discharge opening 129.

Projector means are provided for pushing an article such as thelowermost sponge S against doors 114 and 115 and through the dischargeopening 129 in the container normally closed by such doors, uponrelative movement between the container and the projector means. Whilesuch projector means may be variously constructed, the same is shown asincluding a U-shaped strap member 130 having an upper horizontalactuator element or strut 131 extending through upper slot 96 in rearpanel 81 and recess 73, a lower actuator element or strut 132 extendingthrough lower slot 98 in rear panel and recess 73, and a vertical webelement 133 integrally connected to the front ends of actuator elements131 and 132. The rear end of lower actuator element 132 abuts wall W.The length of actuator elements 131 and 132 is less than the spacingbetween the front and rear walls of container 20.

The projector member 130 is shown attached to wall W. For this purpose,the rear end of upper actuator element 131 is shown as having anintegral vertical web 134 provided with an inverted T-shaped slot 135.For mounting this web on wall W another bracket member 136, similar tothe one 54 previously described, is provided. Bracket 136 thus includesa base plate 138 preferably adhesively attachable to the surface of wallW. Outstanding from this base plate is a vertical rib 139 and extendingcrosswise of the outer edge of this vertical rib is a retainer plate 140having wing portions which overlap the portions of the web adjacent theupright narrow portion of inverted T-slot 135, as shown in FIG. 7.

Means interposed between the supporting wall W and the container 20 foryieldingly holding the lower end of the container away from the wall areprovided. Preferably as shown, such means are formed integrally with theprojection member 30. Accordingly, the upper edge of mounting web 134 isshown as continued in the form of a forwardly and upwardly extendingleaf spring 141, the free end portion of which bears against rear panel81 of the container. Preferably, the combined leaf spring and projectormember so provided is formed as a one-piece device 137 of suitableplastic material.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that leaf spring 141 urges thelower end portion of the container 20 away from the wall W, such outwardposition being limited by engagement of the rear surface of theprojector web part 133 engaging the front or inner surface of the barportion of rear panel 81 of the outer box 22 intermediate slots 96 and98 therein.

The operation of the dispenser is readily apparent. Assuming thecontainer 20 has therein a plurality of superimposed articles suchas'sponges S and with the container disposed in the inclined positionrelative to the wall as depicted in FIG. 4 in which position the doors114 and are closed and the projector web part 133 is arranged behind thelowermost sponge S, it will be seen that a person desiring a spongepresses his elbow against the front wall of the container above doors114 and 115 at the target area indicated at 142 in FIG. 3, the forcethereby applied being represented by the arrow 143 in FIG. 5. Thisswings the container about the hinge axis 48 provided by the compoundhinge tab 43 so that relative movement between the lower end of thecontainer and the projector member occurs. This projector member remainsstationary as the container swings rearwardly over it. The consequenceof this is that the lower most sponge S is pushed by the web element 133against the inside of the doors 114 and 115 so as to swing them openagainst the urging of elastic cord 123, as depicted in FIG. 5.

It will be seen that the lowermost sponge S is only partially projectedfrom the container 20 and the front edge of this sponge extendsforwardly of the front edges of the now open doors 114 and 1 15. Releaseof the operating force represented by the arrow 143 will cause leafspring 141 to restore the container from the position shown in FIG. 5 tothat shown in FIG. 4 insofar as its angular position is concerned.However, if the sponge has not as yet been removed, the same will stillbe clamped between these doors which are spring loaded toward a closedposition. Thus the user can grasp the exposed portion of the sponge andremove it completely from the container, touching only the sponge andwithout touching any portion of the container. Thereupon the doors 114and 115 close automatically under the urging of elastic cord 123.

Upon complete removal of the lowermost sponge and with the container 20restored to its ready position depicted in FIG. 4, it will be seen thatthe stack of sponges within the container will drop down so that anothersponge assumes the lowermost position immediately in front of theprojector web elements 133.

When all of the articles within the container have been dispensed, thecontainer can be removed from the supporting brackets 54 and 136 bylifting the container upwardly to free the hinge tab 43 from the upperbracket and also by lifting the mounting web 134 from the lower bracket.

When the dispenser is utilized for dispensing surgical scrubber sponges,the container 20 including the projector and spring device 137 areconfined in a sealed plastic bag which is processed in a well-knownmanner so as to sterilize all the contents of the bag including thesponges inside the container.

To replace an emptied container which may be disposed of, a loadedcontainer is removed from its bag, the hinge tab 43 thereof mounted onupper bracket 54 and the attaching web 134 mounted on lower bracket 136.This is achieved by first inserting the retainer plates of the bracketsthrough the horizontal portions of the T-holes 53 and and then slippingthe vertical portions of these holes over the bracket ribs. The freshcontainer is then ready for use.

It will be noted that the vertical spacing between brackets 54 and 136is such as to correspond with the vertical spacing between T-holes 53and 135. For initially positioning these brackets, a template (notshown) may be provided by the supplier of the containers.

We claim:

1. A dispenser, comprising a vertically elongated container including aninner box and an outer box surrounding the lower portion of said innerbox, said inner box including a front panel, side panels which extendbelow said front panel and a locking tab joined to each of said sidepanels along a fold line, said outer box including a front wall, a rearwall, sidewalls, a compound tab having upper and lower tab portions,cover flaps and doors, said upper tab portion being joined to said rearwall along a fold line and overlying said locking tabs, said lower tabportion being joined to said upper tab portion along a fold line andunderlying said locking tabs, said cover flaps being severally joined tosaid sidewalls along fold lines, overlapping each other, joined togetherand underlying said compound tab, the space below the lower edge of saidfront panel providing a discharge opening, said doors being parts ofsaid front wall severally joined to said sidewalls along fold lines andwhen substantially coplanar closing said opening and having marginsoverlapping said front panel, elastic means connected to said doors andone of said cover flaps and arranged to urge said doors to a closedcondition, said container being adapted to contain a plurality ofsuperimposed articles to be dispensed singly through said opening, andprojector means arranged to push an article against said doors andthrough said opening upon relative movement between said container andprojector means.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein a flange is connected toeach of said doors along a fold line and underlies said cover flaps, oneof said cover flaps has a tongue, and said elastic means includes anelastic cord having its ends severally secured to such door flanges andits intermediate portion looped over said tongue.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said rear wall has a firstopening adjacent said fold line between said upper portion and said rearwall and a second opening above said first opening, said projector meansincludes a U-shaped member having a pair of actuator elements severallyextending through said first and second openings and connected by a webelement arranged in said container on the rear side of the article to bedispensed, an attaching web upstanding from the upper one of saidactuator elements and having an opening adapted to receive a supportbracket, and a leaf spring connected to the upper end of said attachingweb and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and having a free endslidably engaging said rear wall, the portion of said rear wall betweensaid first and second openings engaging said web element to limit theforward position of said rear wall relative to said attaching web,whereby movement of said container toward said attaching web causes saidweb element to push an article against said doors and partially throughthe opening provided by said doors when open.

1. A dispenser, comprising a vertically elongated container including aninner box and an outer box surrounding the lower portion of said innerbox, said inner box including a front panel, side panels which extendbelow said front panel and a locking tab joined to each of said sidepanels along a fold line, said outer box including a front wall, a rearwall, sidewalls, a compound tab having upper and lower tab portions,cover flaps and doors, said upper tab portion being joined to said rearwall along a fold line and overlying said locking tabs, said lower tabportion being joined to said upper tab portion along a fold line andunderlying said locking tabs, said cover flaps being severally joined tosaid sidewalls along fold lines, overlapping each other, joined togetherand underlying said compound tab, the space below the lower edge of saidfront panel providing a discharge opening, said doors being parts ofsaid front wall severally joined to said sidewalls along fold lines andwhen substantially coplanar closing said opening and having marginsoverlapping said front panel, elastic means connected to said doors andone of said cover flaps and arranged to urge said doors to a closedcondition, said container being adapted to contain a plurality ofsuperimposed articles to be dispensed singly through said opening, andprojector means arranged to push an article against said doors andthrough said opening upon relative movement between said container andprojector means.
 2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein a flange isconnected to each of said doors along a fold line and underlies saidcover flaps, one of said cover flaps has a tongue, and said elasticmeans includes an elastic cord having its ends severally secured to suchdoor flanges and its intermediate portion looped over said tongue.
 3. Adispenser according to claim 2 wherein said rear wall has a firsTopening adjacent said fold line between said upper portion and said rearwall and a second opening above said first opening, said projector meansincludes a U-shaped member having a pair of actuator elements severallyextending through said first and second openings and connected by a webelement arranged in said container on the rear side of the article to bedispensed, an attaching web upstanding from the upper one of saidactuator elements and having an opening adapted to receive a supportbracket, and a leaf spring connected to the upper end of said attachingweb and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and having a free endslidably engaging said rear wall, the portion of said rear wall betweensaid first and second openings engaging said web element to limit theforward position of said rear wall relative to said attaching web,whereby movement of said container toward said attaching web causes saidweb element to push an article against said doors and partially throughthe opening provided by said doors when open.